The invention relates to a device for locking interconnected housing parts of a multi-part housing for electric and electronic components and to a multi-part housing.
Housings for electric and electronic components, in particular housings for telecommunications systems, serve for protecting the electric and electronic components against damage and contamination and also against unauthorized intervention, which may destroy or functionally impair the electric or electronic components or even the entire system.
German Utility Model No. DE 92 03 115 U1 discloses a housing for a telecommunications system in the form of a private branch exchange and includes a bottom housing part for accommodating the electronic components and terminals as well as a covering shroud which is secured against unauthorized opening. In order to avoid the situation where the covering shroud can only be opened by a special tool, the covering shroud, on one longitudinal side, has latching elements which interact with complementary latching elements of the bottom part and lock the covering shroud, once placed in position, on one longitudinal side.
On the opposite longitudinal side, the bottom part has a resilient blocking hook which is oriented in the direction of the inside of the associated covering-shroud side wall and, once the covering shroud has been pushed on, penetrates into an inner recess of the side wall and locks the covering shroud. The blocking hook also has a lug provided with an opening, while the bottom part, in the region of the lug, has an opening which allows a tool to be introduced into the opening of the lug, with the result that the blocking hook can be levered out of the recess and releases the covering shroud.
The known device for connecting and locking a covering shroud to a bottom housing part is a configuration that requires a high outlay and requires comparatively laborious handling for unlocking the covering shroud, using a tool which is necessary for this purpose. In addition, the known locking device is only suitable for respectively intended housing sizes and shapes, since precise coordination is necessary between the blocking hook and the opening in the bottom housing part.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a device for locking housing parts that are connected to one another which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type and which is easy to produce and install, and which is suitable for universal use for different housing sizes and shapes, and the locking of which can be blocked easily and reliably and without the use of special tools.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, in combination with a multi-part housing configured to accommodate electric components and electronic components, the multi-part housing having a first housing part and at least a second housing part, the first housing part having an opening formed therein and being connectable to the second housing part, a device for locking the first housing part and the second housing part to one another, including:
a locking element inserted into the opening of the first housing part, the locking element being configured to be movable between a locking position and an unlocking position;
the locking element, if in the locking position, connecting the first housing part to the second housing part in a form-locking and/or a force-locking manner;
the locking element, if in the unlocking position, releasing a connection between the first housing part and the second housing part; and
a blocking element connected to the locking element, the blocking element blocking the locking element from being adjusted at least in the locking position.
In other words, a device for locking interconnected housing parts of a multi-part housing for electric and electronic components, having a locking element which is inserted into an opening of a first housing part and, in a locking position, connects the first housing part to at least a second housing part in a form-fitting and/or force-fitting manner and, in an unlocking position, releases the connection between the first and second housing parts, wherein the locking element is connected to a blocking element, which blocks the adjustability of the locking element at least in the locking position.
The solution according to the invention is easy to produce and install since it is not necessary to keep to specific tolerances and the locking and blocking functions are separated from one another. On account of its straightforward mechanism, the locking and blocking device according to the invention can be used universally for different housing sizes and shapes, and the locking can be blocked easily and reliably without special tools being required, since separating the locking and blocking functions makes it possible for the locking device to be blocked only in certain positions, in which the housing parts either are fully locked or, for separation of the housing parts, are fully unlocked. Likewise on account of the functions being separated, it is possible for the blocking device to be configured such that it can be operated without special tools, although the blocking function cannot be eliminated by unintended handling.
The locking element is preferably inserted into a slot-like opening of the first housing part in a form-locking manner, such that it can be displaced in the longitudinal direction, while the blocking element brings parts of the locking element into force-locking abutment against sections of the lateral borders of the opening of the first housing part, the borders running essentially parallel to one another in the displacement direction of the locking element.
A device for blocking the possible displacement of the locking element at least in a force-locking manner allows the locking element to be blocked in each position on its displacement path within the opening of the first housing part and ensures a straightforward configuration of the blocking element for performing the blocking function.
The locking element preferably has an actuating surface, which butts against the outer wall of the first housing part, and a sliding and arresting body, which engages through the opening of the first housing part and is configured, in particular, as a hollow body with sliding elements which butt against the lateral borders of the opening in the first housing part and are part of wall sections of the sliding and arresting body which run parallel to the lateral borders of the opening of the first housing part.
This configuration of the locking element allows a straightforward configuration and connection of the locking element to the relevant housing part and provides for straightforward and space-saving accommodation of the blocking element.
For this purpose, the wall sections of the sliding and arresting body can be moved perpendicularly to the displacement direction, while, in the locking position, the blocking element, inserted into the locking element, brings the sliding elements of the movable wall sections into force-locking abutment against the lateral opening borders.
In order to enhance the blocking action and to ensure that the blocking function can only be activated in defined positions of the locking element, in particular in the locking and unlocking positions, the movable wall sections of the sliding and arresting body are provided with latching protrusions such that, when the sliding and arresting body is plugged into the opening of the first housing part, the movable wall sections slide along the lateral opening borders and, once the latching protrusions have been overcome, the locking element is connected to the first housing part in a form-locking manner and the sliding elements butt against the lateral opening borders, with the result that the sliding elements, configured as sliding webs, in predetermined positions of the locking element, latch in notches of the lateral borders of the opening in the first housing part.
It is preferable for the sliding webs to be provided in the center of the locking element, and for the notches to be provided in the lateral opening borders, such that, in the locking and unlocking positions of the locking element, the sliding webs latch into the notches.
In order to allow straightforward operation of the blocking element and, at the same time, to rule out unintended and unauthorized opening of the housing, or to make it more difficult, there is provided in the actuating surface of the locking element an adjusting part, which belongs to the locking element, configured as a rotary locking device, and a rotary pin of the blocking element, the pin projecting perpendicularly from the actuating surface of the locking element, is provided with lateral clamping webs which, by rotation of the adjusting part, can be brought into abutment against the movable wall sections of the sliding and arresting body.
In order to rule out incorrect operation of the blocking element by the latter being actuated in non-defined positions, the adjusting part of the rotary locking device can only be brought into the locking position of the locking device when the sliding webs have been latched into one of the notches of the lateral borders in the housing opening.
In order to provide a pleasing appearance, and to avoid a locking device which projects from the housing wall, the actuating surface of the locking element is inserted into a depression of those wall sections of the first housing part which are adjacent to the opening.
The same purpose is served by a depression which is located in the actuating surface of the locking element and is intended for accommodating the adjustment part of the blocking element, the adjusting part being configured in the form of a circular disk and being provided with a centrally provided actuating slot or web.
In order to ensure easy installation of the locking and blocking elements, and to assign the locking element and the blocking element to one another in a defined manner, the actuating surface of the locking element has a keyhole opening for accommodating the rotary pin and the clamping webs of the blocking element, the keyhole opening being aligned diagonally in relation to the movable wall sections of the locking element.
For straightforward installation of the locking and blocking elements, use is made of a configuration of the blocking element which does not require prior alignment of the blocking element in relation to the locking element in order to connect the two parts to one another. For this purpose, the underside of the adjusting part has at least one nose which is aligned with the clamping webs, which project from the rotary pin on opposite sides to one another, and, in order to accommodate the adjusting part, the depression of the actuating surface contains a groove which is in the form of part of a circle and in which the nose on the underside of the adjusting part engages.
Also provided in the part-circle groove is a web which subdivides the part-circle groove into an insertion region, which is essentially aligned with the keyhole opening and is intended for the nose, and an adjusting region for the blocking element, the web having an oblique surface, which is directed toward the insertion region, and a vertical surface, which is directed toward the adjusting region, such that, once the blocking element has been inserted into the locking element and the web has been overcome, the blocking element can be adjusted by the angular extent of the adjusting region between the locking and the unlocking positions.
This configuration of the accommodating surface of the locking element in conjunction with the configuration of the blocking element makes it possible for the blocking element to be inserted in any desired alignment into the locking element, the keyhole opening of the locking element, in conjunction with the clamping webs of the blocking element, predetermining the insertion direction, although the alignment of the blocking element is arbitrary.
Since, according to a further feature of the invention, the clamping webs of the adjusting part are spaced apart from the underside of the adjusting part at least by the extent of the depth of the keyhole opening of the actuating surface, it is the case that, following slight rotation of the blocking element, by virtue of the web being overcome, the blocking element is brought into a ready-to-function position and is connected reliably to the locking element.
In order for it to be possible to feel when the locking and the unlocking positions have been reached, the two end positions are defined by rounded protrusions within the adjusting region.
The second nose on the underside of the adjusting part of the blocking element, the nose not engaging in the adjusting region, is provided in a freely movable manner in an idling region in the actuating surface of the locking element, and thus has no function, without obstructing the action of the blocking element.
Finally, in order to facilitate the displacement of the locking element, finger hollows which are adjacent to the depression for accommodating the adjusting part of the blocking element are provided in the actuating surface of the locking element.
According to another feature of the invention, the depression in the actuating surface has a further groove formed therein, the further groove is configured as a continuous, part-circular groove for accommodating the second nose disposed diametrically opposite from the first nose, and the locking element has separating webs for separating the groove from the further groove.
According to yet another feature of the invention, the actuating surface of the locking element has finger hollows formed therein, the finger hollows are disposed adjacent to the depression accommodating the adjusting part of the blocking element.
With the objects of the invention in view there is also provided, a multi-part housing configuration, including:
a first housing part and at least a second housing part, the first housing part having an opening formed therein and being connectable to the second housing part;
a locking element inserted into the opening of the first housing part, the locking element being configured to be movable between a locking position and an unlocking position;
the locking element, if in the locking position, connecting the first housing part to the second housing part in at least one of a form-locking and a force-locking manner;
the locking element, if in the unlocking position, releasing a connection between the first housing part and the second housing part; and
a blocking element connected to the locking element, the blocking element blocking the locking element from being adjusted at least in the locking position.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a device for locking interconnected housing parts of a multipart housing, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.